Monster Hunter Wilds' Ranged Weapons Are Set for a Huge Resurgence (2024)

Monster Hunter Wilds may be opening the door for the series' ranged weapons to receive a major resurgence thanks to new mechanics. While ranged weapons have always been valid options, they come with downsides that can make them feel like a more niche choice at times. Monster Hunter Wilds could be on the verge of reversing that if the changes to the gameplay formula are as impactful as they seem. Many weapons will probably see a plethora of new options, but Monster Hunter Wilds' ranged weapons could come out as major winners once the game comes out.

The selection of weapon types in Monster Hunter is a big part of the series' design. The games give players plenty of weapons to forge, all belonging to one of the game's 14 weapon classes. Unlike most RPGs, the player can swap between weapons freely between hunts rather than sticking with one for the whole game, although players can choose to do so if they wish. Different weapons will call for different hunting strategies. The available weapon classes include:

• Great Sword
• Long Sword
• Sword & Shield
• Dual Blades
• Hammer
• Hunting Horn
• Lance
• Gunlance
• Switch Axe
• Charge Blade
• Insect Glaive
• Light Bowgun
• Heavy Bowgun
• Bow

Monster Hunter Wilds' Seikrets Could Change The Flow of Ranged Combat

Monster Hunter's Ranged Weapons Prioritize Distance Over Maneuverability

The bowguns and Bow make up Monster Hunter's selection of ranged weapons, and their main perks are obvious. They let players keep their distance while dealing damage, hopefully keeping them out of harm's way. This does come with a downside, though. Despite their long-distance advantage, ranged weapons tend to be some of the least mobile, either slowing or stopping the player when attacking, especially in the case of the Heavy Bowgun. This can be dangerous against a lot of monsters who either have their own ranged attacks, or can react fast enough to land a hit, adding considerable risk to the weapons.

Monster Hunter Wilds' Seikrets Remove Ranged Weapons' Biggest Shortcoming

Monster Hunter Wilds could be removing ranged weapons' biggest weakness. Monster Hunter Wilds' new mount, the Seikret, looks set to bring a new dimension to gameplay. In addition to being very agile when the player is riding them, the Seikret can mounted and dismounted quickly in the middle of a hunt. More importantly, unlike the Palamutes from Monster Hunter Rise, the player can use their weapon while riding on a Seikret. This includes the ranged weapons, giving players the chance to fire on the move, which could completely change the strategy for ranged weapons, and potentially make them a far more powerful option.

Bows and Bowguns Could See Far More Use in Monster Hunter Wilds

Firing weapons while riding a Seikret could be a game-changing ability. The new movement options in Monster Hunter Wilds provided by the Seikrets could practically make a Bow or Bowgun-using player into a mobile turret. While mounted combat will likely limit some parts of the weapon's moveset, ranged weapons will still keep their advantage of fighting from a distance. By getting good at shooting on the run, players may be able to outmaneuver plenty of Monster Hunter Wilds' monsters. While it's too early to say for sure, mounted combat could be one of the biggest improvements to ranged weapons in the series.

It seems that Monster Hunter Wilds could be very kind to the series' ranged weapons. In addition to Monster Hunter Wilds' weapon-swapping mechanic, being able to fire while riding a Seikret gives Bowguns and Bows some greatly appreciated options. What has been revealed about the new mechanics seems to point towards an emphasis on versatility and maneuverability. Both of these are a major boon for ranged weapons in Monster Hunter. With any luck, Monster Hunter Wilds could lead to the strongest versions of the series' Bows and Bowguns yet.

See Also

Essential Intel: Season 5 Content Drop for Modern Warfare III, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile

Monster Hunter Wilds

Monster Hunter Wilds is the latest entry in Capcom's decorated franchise, and the game is expected to launch in 2025.

Franchise

Monster Hunter

System

PC , PlayStation , Xbox

Platform(s)

PC , PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S

Released

2025-00-00

Developer(s)

Capcom

Publisher(s)

Capcom

Genre(s)

Action , Adventure